CheloniaCast

CheloniaCast returns after a spring semester hiatus. Jack, Michael, Ken, and Jason sit down with Cris Hagen, Director of Animal Management at the Turtle Survival Alliance’s Turtle Conservation Center and accomplished explorer, to discuss his many adventures in pursuit of Testudines. Cris has traveled extensively throughout the world to conduct research on turtles and tortoises. The conversation ra...

On the season one finale of CheloniaCast, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Dr. Peter Meylan, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Eckerd College, to discuss his past, and present, turtle research and adventures in the field. The discussion ranges from what it is like to work with specimens at the American Museum of Natural History, softshell and side-neck turtle phylogenetics, trips to Mexico in p...

In Episode 29 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, and Ken sit down with Eric Munscher. Eric is a researcher with SWCA Environmental Consultants as well as co-founder of the North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group (NAFTRG). A variety of topics pertaining to North American turtle research are covered, including turtle ecology in various spring systems, growth rates of various species of turtle,...

On episode 28 of CheloniaCast Ken and Michael sit down with ecologist Dr. Luca Luiselli of Rivers State University and Roma Tre University and Pearson McGovern of the African Chelonian Institute to discuss turtle conservation in West Africa and using mathematical models to make predictions about turtle populations. The discussion ranges from what it was like to discover the Nubian Flapshell in Sou...

On Episode 27 of CheloniaCast Ken, Michael, and Jack sit down with Dr. Michael Graziano, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Bridgewater State University, to talk about the turtles of the northeastern United States. The conversation ranges from stories from working with Blanding's Turtles in the field, spotted turtle ecology and biology, and urban turtle ecology.   Learn more about the C...

On Episode 26 of CheloniaCast Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with renowned herpetologist and author John Cann and Terence Rogers to talk about Australia’s vibrant chelonian fauna. The discussion covers many different topics, ranging from startling events in New Guinea, the ecology of the Pig-Nosed Turtle, hybridization of Cann’s Long-Necked Turtle, trips across Australia in pursuit of turtles, di...

On Episode 25 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Christel Griffioen, Deputy Country Director at Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity, and Sitha Som of the Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia to talk about the conservation and biology of Cambodia's turtles and tortoises. The discussion ranges from the status and process of searching for giant softshells in situ...

On Episode 24 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with John Seyjagat to discuss his adventures and experiences working with turtles. John is currently the Executive Director of the Zoological Association of America and is a former Curator of Australian Exhibits at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. John has traveled the world in order to better understand how to best keep chelo...

On Episode 23 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with the Wildlife Conservation Society's Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises Coordinator Dr. Brian Horne to discuss his role in turtle conservation and helping to assess the conservation status of various chelonians. The conversation ranges from conservation ethics, the status of understudied species like the Black Marsh Turtle, wha...

On Episode 22 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, Ken, and Wyatt sit down with Dr. Whit Gibbons and Meg Hoyle to discuss why turtles matter in context of the ecosystem as a whole. The discussion ranges from stories from the field with North American turtles and sea turtles, research at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, turtles as seed dispersers and bioturbators, and adventures in pursuit o...

On episode 21 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Lucas Maia and Chelid expert Scott Thomson to discuss the evolution, morphology, and diversification of the Mata-Mata. Lucas is currently working at the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) and Scott is a researcher at the Museum of Zoology of the University of Sao Paulo and Centro de Estudos dos Quelonios da Amaz...

On episode 20 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, and Jack sit down with Dr. Camila Ferrara and Scott Thomson to discuss the ecology of Amazonian turtles. The discussion ranges from nesting habits and niche separation between the South American River Turtles, what it is like to witness a Giant South American River Turtle arribada, the phylogenetics of Rhinemys, and how turtles communicate. Learn more...

On Episode 19 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Scott Thomson to discuss his work with chelonians with a focus on the anatomy and diversification of the turtles within the family Chelidae. Scott is a world renowned herpetologist well known for his work on chelonian paleontology and taxonomy. The discussion ranges from the anatomical differences among Chelid turtles, the u...

On Episode 18 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Dr. Kraig Adler, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University and co-founder of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, for a discussion about how reptiles sense the world around them. The discussion focuses on chelonians, but covers squamates as well. Topics discussed...

On Episode 17 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Anuja Mital to talk about her research on the community ecology and habits of India's turtles. Anuja is currently a PhD student in the Integrative Conservation and Ecology Program at the University of Georgia, and recieved her masters from A.V.C. College in India. This exciting conversation touches on a variety of topics inc...

On Episode 16 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with WCS Herpetologist for Southeast Asia and China Dr. Steven Platt to talk about his work with turtles, particularly in Myanmar. The conversation ranges from rediscovering species thought to be extinct, giant softshell nesting strategies, stories from trekking through the Arakan Hills, and what it is like working with Star Tort...

On Episode 15 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Dr. Peter Lindeman, professor of biology at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, to talk about the map turtles and sawbacks in the genus Graptemys. The discussion ranges from the use of independent contrasts in unraveling correlations in change of map turtle morphology over time, feeding ecology, the recent proposal to list...

In Episode 13 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with doctoral student Iwo Gross to talk about his work investigating population genetics, multiple paternity, and sexual selection in Diamondback Terrapins along the Gulf Coast. The conversation ranges from phenotypic variation in terrapins to the tenets of the sexy son hypothesis.   You can find Iwo @iwogross on Instagram   Host...

Toadheads discuss toadhead turtles: This informative conversation focuses on the conservation, distribution, taxonomy, and natural history of this underrated group of Chelines. Find Stephan’s book “Toad-Headed Turtles of the Genus Mesoclemmys: Distribution, Natural History, Husbandry” at: https://www.naturalhistorybooks.com/p... Hosts Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken meet with Steffan Etmar to discus...

On Episode 11 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Dr. Grover Brown of Jacksonville State University to discuss his turtle research and explorations. The conversation spans from how population genetics can help inform questions in ecology, how and why certain turtles can develop extreme megacephaly, and dispersal of turtle species in one of the most biodiverse river systems...

In Episode 10 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with co-founder of the Turtle Conservancy, Maurice Rodrigues, to talk about some of his adventures in turtle conservation. The discussion ranges from travels as a teenager in Brazil in pursuit of wildlife to graveyard tortoises, tips for successful turtling, and the future of Madagascar’s chelonians.   Guest socials - turtleconse...

On Episode 9 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Wyatt Keil and Parker Gibbons to discuss their recent trip to Florida. The discussion ranges from run ins with alligators in murky water to spotted turtle research, salamander morphometrics, and exploding cars. There is a roundtable discussion pertaining to everyone’s upcoming herpetology/research related plans.   Guest socia...

On Episode 8 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Greg Brashear of Greg’s Turtle Haven to discuss southeastern turtles, with an emphasis on Alligator Snapping Turtles. Greg has many years of experience working with turtles, both in the wild, and in captivity. He hosts the popular YouTube channel, GregsTurtleHaven, where he documents his turtle adventures and shares informati...

In episode 7 of CheloniaCast, Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with Dr. Kevin Labille of theTurtleRoom and African Chelonian Institute. Beyond his profession as a full stack web developer, Kevin is passionate about the Pelomedusoid turtles. The discussion ranges from applying CS to conservation and re-discovering supposedly extinct species, to the ecology and/or systematics of nearly every A...

On episode 6 of CheloniaCast Jason, Michael, Jack, and Ken sit down with president of Texas Turtles and former Biological Curator and Collections Manager at UT Arlington, Carl Franklin, to talk about some of Carl's numerous adventures in herpetology, focusing on his work with turtles. The conversation ranges from sea turtle attacks and aquarium diving in Mexico to wanderings in Southeast Asia and...